Under One Person: The Seeker of the Dao in the Lü Family

Chapter 39 Wudang Wuji Gong, Transmission of Alchemy Methods

Because of Zhou Sheng, Lü Qian was delayed on the mountain path for a while. Now that the sun was about to set, he hurriedly ran to the canteen on the front mountain.

Fortunately, it wasn't too late. He got two meals from the Fireworker and hurriedly returned to the back mountain.

"Grand Tutor, I'm back!"

Lu Qian, carrying a lunchbox, pushed open the wooden door of the cabin in the woods, looked around the room, but did not see Zhou Meng.

"Grand Tutor, where have you been?"

"It's here!"

Lu Qian put down the lunchbox and was about to turn around to look outside when he heard Zhou Meng's voice coming from under the bed.

He quickly went over to take a look and saw that Zhou Meng's head and body were covered in a lot of dust.

At this moment, Zhou Meng was not at all like a Taoist master; he was sticking his butt out and searching for something at the foot of the bed.

"Grand Tutor, what are you looking for? I'll help you."

Lu Qian knelt down beside the bed, glanced at Zhou Meng lying on the floor, and asked, "Is the bed frame unstable?"

Zhou Meng ignored Lü Qian's question and reached under the foot of the bed, quickly finding something.

"I found it. I told you I hadn't forgotten."

Zhou Meng's happy voice came from under the bed. He held up the bed frame with one hand and took out the things under the foot of the bed with the other.

It was a wooden lattice covered with brown oiled paper, pressed under the floor by the bed leg, and was not very conspicuous.

If you didn't touch it, you wouldn't have noticed that there was something hidden there.

Zhou Meng excitedly crawled out from under the bed with the oil paper package. He stood by the bed, covered in dust from under the bed.

"Can you hold this for me?"

As he spoke, he handed the oil paper package to Lü Qian, who had stood up beside him, and then dusted himself off.

"Grand Tutor, what's inside?"

"The secret manual left behind by our Wudang founder, Zhang Sanfeng."

Zhou Meng's nonchalant tone suggested he didn't care much, but the content of his words made Lü Qian feel a sudden weight in his hand.

Looking again at the wooden grid wrapped in oiled paper in his hand, Lü Qian felt as if the thing in his hand was not a wooden grid, but a huge boulder weighing a thousand pounds, making it impossible for him to lift his hand.

Lu Qian quickly gripped the oil paper package in his hands, but soon loosened his grip slightly, afraid that he might use too much force and damage this immortal legacy.

Zhou Meng glanced at Lü Qian, who was trembling all over, and said, "Hehe, don't be so nervous."

"Grand Tutor, it's not so easy for you to handle it, but if something happens to this thing while it's in my hands, even selling my entire Lü family wouldn't be enough to compensate for it."

"Don't worry, it's not the original version; it was probably revised during the Qing Dynasty."

Before Lü Qian could even catch his breath, Zhou Meng continued, "The original is on the Golden Summit, but this is the only copy that has been rebuilt."

"So you still use it to pad the foot of the bed?"

Lu Qian shakily placed the oil paper package in his hand on the table beside him. After letting out a sigh of relief, he looked at Zhou Meng, who looked relaxed and indifferent, in disbelief.

This kind of inheritance should at least require building a secret room, and then receiving incense offerings every day together with the statue of the ancestral master, right?

Nowadays, simply placing things in a wooden crate, wrapping them in oiled paper, and then leaving them at the foot of the bed to collect dust doesn't seem like how we treat tradition!

Zhou Meng walked to the table with a smile, jumped onto a chair, pushed the oil paper package aside, and then placed the dinner box in front of him.

"Things are inanimate, but people are alive. Besides, your great-grandfather isn't so old that he can't even remember his own family's traditions."

He opened the food box and placed the food inside on the table.

Seeing this, Lü Qian quickly went to help, "Speaking of which, Grand Tutor, why did you dig this thing out today?"

Seeing Lü Qian's actions, Zhou Meng stopped and took the bowl and chopsticks he was handed over. "What else can I do? Of course, I'm passing it on to you."

"You've been in Wudang for three years now. Your character and talent are beyond question. Now that you've honed your life cultivation to a high level, it's time to teach you Wudang's alchemy techniques."

After arranging the meal, Lü Qian sat down opposite Zhou Meng, holding a steamed bun in his hand. He looked at Zhou Meng curiously, "Alchemy?"

"It's alchemy. Our Taoist practice is actually just about alchemy. Different schools have different ways of passing down alchemy, and Wudang is unique in its own way."

Zhou Meng nodded. "To be honest, the Wudang martial arts you've been practicing are actually a part of alchemy, but today I'm passing on the core of it to you."

"Master Yunlong taught me the Wuji Gong? Is this Wudang's alchemy method? I thought it was just a method for harmonizing Yin and Yang and building a foundation for cultivating Qi."

Lu Qian took a bite of the steamed bun, chewed it, and swallowed it.

"This is also one of the tests for you, not only testing your talents, but also your character."

"Cultivation is a gradual process; if one doesn't have enough talent and the perseverance to keep practicing, then it's best not to let them be disturbed by seeing too much."

Zhou Meng picked up some pickled vegetables, put them on his steamed bun, and took two bites. "Eat your food first. After you finish eating, I'll teach you the core of this alchemy method."

"good!"

The food on Wudang Mountain is quite simple. Those who cultivate Taoism are mostly pure of heart and have few desires, so as to restrain their body and mind in order to better cultivate themselves.

The meal was over quickly.

After Zhou Meng and Lü Qian finished tidying up the table, they brought the oil paper package to the side.

He looked at Lü Qian, who was sitting upright opposite him, and nodded. "Before I teach you the Wudang alchemy method, I will first explain the way of the Golden Elixir to you."

"Master Zhang Sanfeng once said: There are three thousand unorthodox techniques, but apart from this Golden Elixir, all are obscure."

"The path of the Golden Elixir, to put it simply, is the cultivation of both body and spirit."

Lu Qian nodded. He had known about these things before he went up the mountain, and he had even heard about them in his previous life.

Gold represents immortality and longevity; cinnabar represents perfection and flawlessness.

Therefore, the term "Golden Core" represents the level of cultivation, and does not necessarily refer to a golden pill.

Alchemy is also divided into internal alchemy and external alchemy.

The methods of external alchemy mostly involve burning gold and refining mercury, and seeking out stones and medicines. By refining a "golden pill" and consuming it, one can pursue ascension to immortality.

During the Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin dynasties, the methods of external alchemy were widely practiced. However, these methods were mostly used by those who deceived the world and have long been lost.

The method of internal alchemy is to cultivate both body and mind, to refine oneself to immortality and perfection, and to unite the body with the Dao.

The practice of internal alchemy has been passed down since the Tang and Song dynasties and has now become the mainstream of spiritual practice.

The Taoist school, in particular, combined theories from various schools and developed a wide variety of methods for internal alchemy.

In terms of their differences, the internal alchemy methods of Taoism can be divided into the Northern School and the Southern School.

The Northern School of Alchemy emphasizes seven parts nature and three parts destiny, focusing on cultivating one's nature through tranquility; the Southern School of Alchemy, on the other hand, emphasizes seven parts destiny and three parts nature, focusing on refining one's destiny through cultivation.

Furthermore, different schools of thought have different approaches to how to form one's own elixir in alchemy.

Among the more famous ones are the Dragon-Tiger Elixir Method, the Tranquility Elixir Method, and the Internal Yin-Yang Elixir Method...

However, these methods of forming the elixir all lead to the same goal: to harmonize the yin and yang within the human body.

Ultimately, whether it's the Southern or Northern School of Taoism, whether they pursue the union of the spirit with the body or the union of the body with the spirit, the ultimate goal is to return themselves to their original oneness.

"Cultivating one's nature and life is nothing more than essence, qi, and spirit. Although the methods of different schools are different, the essence is still these three. It's just that the methods are different, and the effects are different."

After explaining the Dao of the Golden Elixir, Zhou Meng began to explain the alchemy of Wudang. "Our Wudang school combines the strengths of the alchemy methods of the Northern and Southern schools, creating a unique lineage within the Daoist tradition."

"First, we adopt the methods of the Northern School, focusing on cultivating one's character and refining the disciples' temperament through rigorous training. In this process, we cultivate Qi through martial arts, combining movement and stillness."

"Once one's mind and character have been refined and matured, one can then use the Southern School's Dragon and Tiger Elixir Method to form the elixir through the interaction of the heart and kidneys."

At this point, he looked at Lü Qian and said, "When you first entered the sect, Yunlong taught you stance training, Tai Chi, and Zen meditation. These were not only to temper your mind and character, but also to refine your life force and balance the Yin and Yang in your body, laying a good foundation for your future Core Formation."

"What I'm going to show you today is the route from here on out. Do you have any questions?"

"have!"

Lu Qian looked at Zhou Meng and said, "I've only been a disciple for three years. Why are you already teaching me the later stages of alchemy?"

"Firstly, it's because your cultivation is sufficient and your willpower is unwavering. Right now, on Mount Wudang, with your cultivation level, I'm afraid no one except Yunlong and me can rival you, right?"

Zhou Meng replied with a smile, "Secondly, it's because of 'Feng Hou Qi Men.' Today I just told you about using the Zhou Tian climate to train your own Small Zhou Tian. Considering that you haven't formed your core yet, your subsequent cultivation might be difficult. After you form your core, you can try this method again; you might gain other benefits."

As he spoke, Zhou Meng revealed a meaningful smile, "Don't worry, if I'm not mistaken, this will be a great opportunity for you."

"Thank you for transmitting the Dharma, Grand Master!"

"Alright, since that's the case, let's begin."

Zhou Meng opened the oil paper package in his hand, took out a yellowed thread-bound book from the wooden compartment, and handed it to Lü Qian.

Lu Qian took the manual; the blue cover read: Pure Yang Limitless Skill.